Josphat “Josh” Hozheri — long celebrated as “Big Josh” in Zimbabwe’s jazz circles — is back With the launch of The Moving Jazz Café next month, Hozheri is reigniting a beleaguered genre by reviving itinerant, high-quality jazz concerts from Bulawayo to Harare He first made his mark in 1999 by opening Jazz 105 at 105 Robert Mugabe Way in the capital — quickly becoming the local home of jazz Over more than a dozen years, this venue hosted the Winter Jazz Festival, bringing luminaries like Hugh Masekela, Jimmy Dludlu, Louis Mhlanga, Dorothy Masuka and many more to Zimbabwean audiences
Through inclusive programming like Ladies in Jazz and school outreach, Jazz 105 nurtured a generation of local stars However, after closing Jazz 105 in 2015, followed by the shuttering of his Harare venue — Time & Jazz Café, Hozheri withdrew from public life, especially after the death of his long-time partner Thompson Dondo three years ago Hozheri — now resurgent — announced The Moving Jazz Café, a bold two-city festival “For the past 10 years, there hasn’t been a dedicated venue like the former Jazz 105… so we will take jazz to different parts of the country,” Hozheri told Standard Style
“Over the years no one has been promoting jazz music like what I used to do and most jazz lovers, a niche group of executives, had nowhere to go “I am happy to announce to jazz fans in the country that Jazz 105 Promotions is back and we will be doing jazz and more jazz.”
Hozheri said he was a dedicated and passionate jazz promoter and wouldn’t want to see the genre go into abyss He said The Moving Jazz Café was not only confined to Bulawayo and Harare, but it will spread across the breadth and length of the country “Yes, we are starting with Bulawayo and then Harare, but we are also exploring other avenues and we will be going to other towns like Zvishavane, Mutare, Chiredzi and other mining towns,” Hozheri said
“We know that the executives in those towns are starved of jazz music and The Moving Jazz Café is going there to satiate their hunger.”
Big Josh said The Moving Jazz Café will kick start with a show at The Kings Kraal in Bradfield, Bulawayo, on August 8, which will feature performances by Bekezela, veteran Hudson, Vuyo Brown and international jazz maestro Louis Mhlanga Source: The Standard Zimbabwe
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Source: Thestandard
